The girl on the wharf
by Mammai
Summary: An AU story. Katara and Zuko are strangers whose chance meeting slowly develops into something more.


AN:This is a modern day AU. I've used names of cities from the both the ATLA and LoK world. Thank you to my beta reader Smylealong, without whose guidance my punctuation would be a disaster. Any mistakes are mine. This is my maiden attempt at any creative writing and I'm hoping to get some constructive criticism.

A quick cliff note on the story. A line denotes the end of that day.

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters in this story. They belong to Nick and Bryke.

* * *

Katara sat on the bench and put her head in her hands. She let the sounds of the water lapping gently at the bricks calm her down. She looked up and realized that her feet had carried her to her favorite spot of their own volition. She couldn't remember the walk from her home to the waterfront. That thought startled her out of her daze and she looked around. A couple of things hit her simultaneously, first the fact that it was getting dark which meant that she'd been gone for a while and second that there was another person sitting on the bench.

She was so lost in her own world that she had not taken note of this stranger sitting on the bench with her. All at once, she became aware of the danger she had put herself in. She let out a small gasp and started to get up when the stranger spoke, "I won't harm you."

Katara would never be sure why she trusted those four (decidedly odd) words, but she sat back down. A few more minutes passed in silence before Katara asked, "Were you here when I came?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry."

A pause, then he asked, "Why?"

"You hadn't spoken till I was ready to leave, which means you came here for the solitude as well. I disturbed you." Katara explained.

"If you had disturbed me, I would have asked you to leave." The guy replied.

Katara bristled. _Did he think he owned the place?_ Before she could say anything, however, he added, "I was here first."

Katara's shoulders drooped, conceding the point.

They both fell silent at this point. Katara got up to leave, dreading what her home would be filled with. As she started to walk away, the stranger spoke again, "I hope you find a solution to whatever is troubling you."

She was surprised but murmured a thank you as she turned to really look at him for the first time. It was too dark to make out his features but she saw his acknowledging nod in the diminishing light.

On the walk back, Katara realized that the stranger's words had given her a small ray of hope. Maybe she could still find a solution to this. With this thought in mind, she squared her shoulders and walked into her home.

* * *

The next evening found Katara back on the waterfront with her thoughts. She looked at the empty bench and a small frown creased her forehead. Shrugging away the twinge Katara sat down. The chilly wind from the wharf made her glad that she'd thrown a light jacket over her jeans and tee. Forgetting to tie her long hair, however, meant that the wind was playing havoc with it.

A quick search her purse unearthed a hair tie. Looking at the innocuous blue circle reminded her that she owned way too many blue things _._

 _Just because people have told me that blue compliments my eye doesn't mean I can't wear other colors. I really should get stuff in different colors._

Satisfied with that decision, Katara and took a minute to appreciate the sound of the water lapping against the brick. A smile appeared on her face as she let the noises of the city fade and with it some of the tension of her day.

About ten minutes later, she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. She looked up as the stranger walked up and absently noted that he was tall. He sat down next to her but remained quiet. Part of her was thankful for his silence. A beat later, however, she broke it with, "thank you."

"Hmmm?" he managed to make it a question.

"Your words yesterday helped me," She clarified. Out of the corner of her eye she saw his nod.

 _It's funny,_ she mused. We _seem to have conversations without actually looking at each other._ Initiating the conversation, however, brought her dilemma back to the forefront. She went back to staring at the water and trying to empty her mind of the thoughts plaguing her.

After a while, the stranger spoke, "So, did you?"

Jolted out of her thoughts, Katara was baffled. "Did I what?"

"Find a solution."

Katara let out a mocking laugh, "If only it were that simple."

Another nod.

"I made a mistake," she confessed. "Now I don't know how to fix it." Katara waited expectantly for his reply. He didn't say anything and they lapsed back into silence.

It was past dark when Katara got up to leave. "Katara," she offered.

He didn't say anything. Katara started walking away, slightly puzzled at his rudeness, when she heard him say, "Zuko."

"Goodnight, Zuko." she bade him and went home.

* * *

The following evening, Katara ran toward the wharf, checking her watch repeatedly as she waited for the traffic signals to turn. Part of her wondered why she was rushing to meet a stranger. _I'm grateful for his unknowing help, that's all._ The sun was almost set when she finally reached her destination. Out of breath and panting, she greeted him enthusiastically "Hi! Zuko"

At the sound of her voice, he stood up, a little too quickly. "Katara, I don't think we should meet up too often," he said before turning away to leave.

Katara was beyond baffled. She gaped at him before finding her voice, "What?"

He turned and she saw him clearly for the first time. _His eyes,_ was the first thing that ran through her head. Katara didn't think it was possible to have eyes quite that particular shade of gold. She was entranced by the way his eyes reflected the rays of the setting sun. Then she noticed the scar that ran across the left side of his face. Her face softened as she realized how much it must have hurt.

Zuko must have seen something on her face because his scowl faded and he said, "Goodnight, Katara."

It was a testament to the tumult in her mind that it wasn't until much later that she connected the dots. She realized exactly who Zuko was and that revelation was enough to take her out bed and onto the computer. A half hour later, she realized Zuko needed the solitude a lot more than she did. She hoped she would see him the next day.

* * *

At the waterfront the next day, Katara's eyes kept flicking to the direction that Zuko had walked away in. With what she had learned on the computer and her own recollection of recent events, Zuko and his troubles stayed in her thoughts. The water failed to bring her peace today. Absently, it occurred to her that she had not dwelled on her problem since last night. With a wry smile, she acknowledged that in light of Zuko's troubles, her issue was rather trivial.

She stayed there well past sundown, but Zuko never showed up. With drooping shoulders, she headed back home.

The wharf greeted Katara with only its sounds and gentle breezes for the next few days.

It was a week before she saw Zuko again. She didn't care to examine the spurt of happiness when she saw him waiting at the bench.

"Hi Zuko," she greeted him with a smile.

"Hi."

"I missed you," She blurted out before she could stop herself.

Zuko looked startled, "I was at the trial."

"Oh!" Katara silently chided herself for not realizing that. She recalled reading about his sister's attempt on his life. The details were sketchy at best about the how and the why but Katara couldn't imagine what Zuko must be going through.

"I'm sorry," she said.

He gave a wry laugh and asked, "Why? Are you sorry that you are meeting me? My family isn't exactly stable. I'd be careful…I could go nuts and try to hurt you." His voice became more and more bitter with each word

Katara looked at him sympathetically. "No, you won't. I'm sorry that you have to go through this by yourself. I can't imagine what it must be like bearing witness in your sister's trail for trying to kill you."

Before she could examine her impulse more closely, she reached over and covered his hand with hers and gave it a light squeeze. "I'm sorry, Zuko," she repeated.

Zuko looked down at their hands and his eyes were stunned when he looked back at her. It was a while before he found his voice. "Thank you." he said, sounding hoarse.

"I'm here for you," Katara found herself saying before she fully realized that she meant to offer her support.

Zuko nodded and got up to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Katara nodded and bade him goodnight.

* * *

Katara noticed that Zuko kept the conversation mundane.

Zuko asked her about her favorite animal. Surprised, she told him it was a dolphin. Furthering the conversation, Katara asked him the same question and wasn't surprised to find that it was a tiger. Katara mused that with eyes like his, he must feel a kinship to the majestic animal.

They talked about nothing and everything. Favorite foods, favorite movies, favorite places to travel.

"I've never really gone beyond the borders of the city," Katara admitted one day.

Zuko looked like she could knock him over with a feather. Incredulous, he asked, "Never?"

"Nope."

"Wow!"

Incensed, Katara said, "Not all of us are Mr. Moneybags." As soon as the words left her mouth though, Katara wished them back.

"Don't apologize" Zuko said, cutting her off, as she opened her mouth. "I know what you meant."

After a beat he asked, "If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?"

Katara didn't have to think, "Paris. I know it is clichéd, but I want to see the city."

Zuko's eyes were on something far away and sad when he said, "Paris. It is a city that has pleasant memories for me."

Katara hated that she had unknowingly put that look in his eyes. It haunted her dreams that night.

* * *

"My family wants me to get married." Katara blurted out. Immediately, she slapped her hands over her mouth.

Zuko looked at her and silently urged her to continue.

"I live at home with my father, Hakoda, and my older brother, Sokka. Dad's job keeps him out of town for months on end. Now my older brother has just landed a job with Roku Inc. that will take him out of town too. They are both worried about me being alone in this city."

"Well, I can't really say I blame them," Zuko murmured.

Katara rolled her eyes at him. "Thank you, Captain obvious. Anyway, it wasn't even an issue till my grandmother got married a few months ago and moved to Gaoling city with her husband, Pakku. Now their solution…"

Katara broke off when she saw Zuko's expression.

"What?"

"Your grandmother got married?" He sounded equal parts horrified and fascinated.

"I think it is very romantic. Gramp was a visiting faculty at my university and happened to see my bracelet one day," Katara thrust her wrist out for Zuko to see a bracelet inlaid with blue stones. The ivory of it was even more pronounced against her tan skin. "Turns out he had given it to her when they were high school sweethearts. He went to see her and a few months later they were married!" Katara was smiling when she finished.

"Wow!" Zuko looked a little dazed. He shook his head slightly as if to clear it before asking, "So what's the solution?"

Katara's smile disappeared, "There is a boy that we've known for a long time, Aang. The solution is to get married to him. I really don't want to."

"Is he a creep?" Zuko asked.

Katara looked at him like he had just asked if the moon was made of cotton candy. "No! He's a really nice guy. It's just…" she broke off.

"Just what?" Zuko prompted.

"He's younger than me. Not by much, but young enough. Not that I have something against younger guys because I don't. It's just that he is so immature at times. I don't love him! I mean, I do, but not like that. You know what I mean?" Katara stopped herself when she ran out of breath.

Zuko looked confused, "Pretty sure I don't."

"Well, I love him but like I love Sokka. I know he likes me, I have known that for a while. I honestly thought he would grow out of it." Katara sighed. "When Dad and Sokka were trying to come up solutions to the being alone issue, Aang offered to have me stay with him. Dad and Sokka weren't thrilled at the prospect of me living with a guy, even if it is Aang. That was when he dropped the bomb of us getting married."

"Wait! You mean he didn't ask you about this first?" Zuko was incredulous.

"Finally!" Katara exclaimed. "Thank you for seeing this through my eyes. I was stunned. My dad and Sokka are over the moon about this. I don't know what to do. I can't really stay by myself in the city. We can't afford the dormitories at my college but I certainly don't want to get married to Aang."

"You have quite the conundrum. How long do you have before you brother needs to leave?" Zuko asked.

"He's staring his training next Monday. He'll be in training for the next three months and then will be posted in Republic City after that. I still have quite a few of years left in school here before I can go anywhere. They want me to get married before Sokka leaves." Katara said, her voice growing smaller as she finished.

The two sat quietly for the rest of the evening and watched the sun paint the sky in brilliant reds and oranges.

* * *

"Let's go get some Ice cream," Zuko surprised her.

A little taken aback but loving the idea of ice cream on the unusually hot day, Katara agreed.

"My treat." she said.

"No. My suggestion, my treat."

The two continued arguing till they reached the vendor where Katara ended up treating him. She triumphantly handed his ice cream to him. Zuko grimaced and Katara stuck her tongue out at him. The resulting smile transformed his face so much that Katara silently vowed to try for more of those. The fact that her heart skipped a beat at the sight was irrelevant.

"Don't be a sore loser." she chided as they walked back.

"It was my suggestion. You could have let me treat you to it. It's just ice cream."

"Exactly! It's just ice cream. You can treat me next time," Katara said shaking her head.

Zuko seemed mollified by the promise of a next time.

* * *

By the time Zuko came up to what Katara now thought of as their bench, Katara's grin threatened to split her face.

"You won't believe what happened today!" she exclaimed.

"I'm sure you'll tell me." Zuko deadpanned, as he sat down.

"Sokka got a letter from his company saying that his posting has changed and he'll be doing his internship here in Caldera rather than Republic City!" Katara spun into a quick circle as she said this. "Let's go get something to eat to celebrate this. I'm too wound up to sit here quietly."

She was dragging him by his hand before Zuko had a chance to either accept or decline her invitation.

A quick walk brought them to a diner which Katara claimed served the best milkshakes in town. They grabbed a booth and waited for their drinks when Katara blurted out, "You realize that this means I don't have to get married."

"Congratulations?"

"Thank you." Katara acknowledged both Zuko and the waitress who came by with their shakes at the same time.

"I'm not sure how that happened. Everything was set for Sokka to start training and go to Republic City and now this letter."

"Hey! Don't look a gift horse in the mouth," Zuko cautioned.

"There's that. Anyway, I'm really glad that I don't have to get married right away." Katara looked relieved.

"How's your shake?" She asked, abruptly changing the topic. "Can I try some?"

"No. Have your own shake."

"Do you have cooties?" Katara dissolved into peals of laughter at Zuko's expression.

Zuko walked her home that evening.

* * *

"You fixed my problem," Katara began.

"Well, good evening to you too." Zuko mocked.

Katara rolled her eyes, "Yeah. Why didn't you tell me that you were Sokka's boss?"

"Because I'm not technically his boss"

Another eye roll, "Sokka was going insane last night. He wanted to know what I was doing da…err hanging out with his CEO"

Zuko narrowed his eyes at her, "What did you tell him?"

"What do you mean, what did I tell him?" Katara fumed. "I told him I had no idea what he was talking about."

Zuko shrugged. "Roku Inc. is a subdivision of Sozin International. I looked into your brother's file and just changed his assignment. I apologize if it was presumptive of me to interfere. I was just trying to solve a problem." Looking abashed but having said his piece, Zuko turned to walk away.

Katara stopped him by grabbing his arm. "It wasn't presumptive. I really appreciate your looking out for me. I'm just hoping that you didn't inconvenience anybody by giving Sokka that assignment."

Zuko gaped at her for a second before reassuring her, "No, it's not an inconvenience to anyone. I didn't change anyone else's assignment, just Sokka's. "

"Won't anyone ask you why?"

Zuko just raised an eyebrow and did not deign to answer that. His imperious expression reminded Katara that he was indeed a very powerful man.

* * *

Katara was pacing and talking to herself when a hand fell on her shoulder. With a shrill shriek, she jabbed her elbow into her attacker's nose. She whirled to find Zuko clutching his nose and glaring at her. Zuko mumbled something into his hands that sounded suspiciously like 'crazy woman."

"Oh spirits! I'm so sorry. I was lost in thought and you startled me. I hope I didn't hurt you. Let me look at it."

Zuko raised his eyebrow, looking skeptical.

"I'll have you know that I'm pre-med. I can at least make sure it's not broken"

Zuko lowered his hand and Katara examined his nose. She breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn't broken. As she looked up to tell him, the words died in her throat. She was suddenly aware of how close she was standing to him and how intently he was looking her. She was mesmerized by the look in those golden eyes.

 _He's so handsome,_ Katara thought. She turned red when Zuko laughed and she realized she had spoken out loud.

"Well, you are!" She defended herself as she pushed him away playfully.

Zuko gave her a little bow. "Thank you. You're not too bad yourself" He teased.

Katara swatted him on the arm, "Just not too bad?"

"Are you fishing for compliments?"

"Obviously," She replied without a trace of modesty and this time joined him in laughter.

Later that night Katara wondered at the improbable friendship that had become so important to her.

* * *

"How's your nose?"

"Not broken, no thanks to you"

"Hey! I told you, you startled me and I did apologize"

"Relax. I'm teasing."

"Hmmm."

"What were you thinking about so intently yesterday?"

Katara's brow furrowed. "Aang still wants to marry me."

Zuko frowned, "I thought that with your brother staying in town, that problem was taken care of?"

"I thought so too, but apparently Aang really wants to marry me. He wanted to show Sokka and dad that he really meant it when he proposed. That it wasn't just a stop gap solution to the problem."

"So tell him you don't want to marry him and that you don't like him that way."

Katara's face and her silence prompted Zuko to inquire, "Katara?"

"I might have inadvertently accepted the proposal"

"How does one inadvertently accept a marriage proposal?" Zuko sounded baffled.

"By not saying no"

"Ah!" Zuko's voice conveyed his understanding. "You'll get yourself into a lot of trouble if you don't learn to say no when you mean it."

"I suppose you've never gotten yourself into trouble because of that?" Katara retorted sharply.

Zuko laughed mirthlessly "Given my family, my saying yes or no didn't really make a difference to anyone. Stuff happened regardless."

Katara chastised herself silently and viciously before saying, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

He waved away her apology, "Not your fault."

After a beat, he asked "Why don't you tell him the truth?"

"I don't want to break his heart."

"You don't want to break his heart?" Zuko sputtered, incredulously. "But you're okay with being miserable with someone you see as a brother."

"I'm not!"

"Then do something about it!"

"Why do you care?" Katara shouted.

Zuko stared at her speechless and what looked like hurt and disappointment passed over his face.

Katara deflated. "I'm sorry. I know I have to tell him the truth. I have to muster up the courage to break his heart."

"He will be hurt but that will be better than a lifetime spent being miserable," Zuko advised her.

"I'm scared of losing him as a friend." Katara's voice was small.

"He would have to pretty dumb to lose your friendship over this. If you do lose it, you do have other friends."

"I do," She smiled at him "Thanks, Zuko"

* * *

Katara was pacing again when she spotted Zuko. He took in her disheveled hair and mismatched clothes without a word and raised an eyebrow in question. Without a second thought, she hugged him. She could feel him stiffening momentarily before his arms came around her. He still didn't say a word as she trembled violently clutching his shirt like it was her anchor.

After a while, she felt his hand brushing her hair and back in a comforting gesture. That seemed to break something in her and she started crying.

It was a while before she calmed down but was reluctant to leave the comfort of Zuko's arms. He made no moves to dislodge her and seemed content to let her stay there. The need to blow her nose was finally what prompted Katara to move. She filed the slight tightening of Zuko's arms before letting her go in a corner of her heart to be examined later.

"I take it he didn't take it well."

"He didn't take it at all! He first threw a fit about how I strung him along and led him on. When I reminded him that he was the one who decided we should be engaged without asking me, He turned on the 'puppy dog eyes'." Katara rolled her eyes.

"Puppy dog eyes?"

"That is something he used to do when we were kids. If Aang wanted something and didn't get it, he would get this pleading look in his eyes. It was cute when he was a kid and most people would give in, me included. Now it is just irritating."

"Umm…okay," Zuko sounded unconvinced.

"The worst part is he refused to believe that I didn't love him and is convinced that I'll come around. When I tried to explain that I liked him like Sokka, he calmly said that I'm confused and just needed to sleep on the idea. Then he kissed me and left."

"He kissed you?" Zuko sounded infuriated.

"I'm telling you that he didn't let me break up with him and you're hung up on an unimportant kiss?"

"So it was unimportant?"

"ZUKO! FOCUS!" Katara was at the end of her patience.

"Sorry," He mumbled. "Continue"

Katara threw her hands in the air and said "I already told you. I tried to break up. He didn't let me."

"What do you mean he didn't let you?"

Katara clutched her hair and gave it a yank, "Aargh! I can't even talk to you today. I have no idea what is wrong with you."

Katara was already walking away when she heard a "Katara, wait!" but she just shook her head and kept walking.

Later that night, however, she remembered the comfort and quiet support he'd provided.

* * *

Katara was surprised by the bouquet of lilies Zuko gave her the next evening.

"Thank you. These are beautiful, but what's the occasion?"

"A man should be able to give a beautiful girl flowers without an occasion," Zuko cringed immediately "Boy! That was corny."

"Actually, I thought it was sweet." Katara said trying to fight a blush.

"You do? Great! However, they are an apology for not paying attention to you yesterday."

"I owe you one too. You did let me cry all over you."

"I'll send you the dry cleaning bill."

"Are you sure you don't own a few dry cleaning stores, Mr. CEO?"

"Actually, that's something we don't own, maybe I should look into buying some?"

"Do that. That'll save you a lot of expense."

"Why? Are you planning on making a habit of crying into my shirts?"

"Hey!"

They laughed together before Katara sobered up.

"I called Aang today and told him it was over. He tried to sway me but I took your advice and was firm on my refusal. I also told dad and Sokka that I had broken up with him and not to entertain any further talks regarding the matter from him."

"How did they take it?"

"Dad was a little surprised but he was more than supportive of me. He told me that he would deal with Aang if he put anymore unwanted moves on me. Sokka actually looked a little relieved. When I cornered him about it, he confessed that the idea of me and Aang gave him the willies."

"I was so mad at him. I asked him why he didn't say anything sooner. He tells me, it's because I didn't refuse Aang's proposal. He thought that I felt the same way about Aang and he wanted me to be happy."

"Your family really loves you a lot," Zuko sounded wistful.

"Of course, that's what family does."

"Not every family. My mother loved me and my uncle loves me. Azula may have loved me once too but my father never did." Zuko looked pensive; his eyes focused somewhere far away.

"My father, Ozai, was a brilliant businessman by day," Zuko started. "It was the other persona of the man, the one at home, that I didn't care for. He always favored my sister over me. My mother, Ursa, was the only shield between me and him."

Katara noted Zuko's tone of deep loathing while speaking of his father, and of love when talking about his mother. She wondered if he was aware of how much his tone changed in one sentence.

"While my mother was still alive, Ozai was still human," He grudgingly admitted, "Somewhere, deep down, Ozai loved my mother."

"That changed when she was killed by a drunk driver. I was in the car with her but escaped with just this." Zuko's hand flitted up to his scar as he spoke.

"Ozai became almost unhinged at this." Zuko continued. "The day I came back from the hospital, he told me he wished it was me who had died instead of my mother. I couldn't really correct him since I felt the same way."

Katara gasped and took his hand as tears formed in her eyes for the boy Zuko had been. He looked down at their hands and then up at her. At the sight of her tears, he attempted to comfort her.

"I was lucky that I had my uncle, Iroh, to look after me. He told me again and again that the only person to blame for my mother's death was the driver and not me, never me. It took me a long time, but I finally believed him. For Ozai, however, nothing I did or said was ever good enough for him. In the meantime, Azula became the perfect daughter. She was always brilliant and aced everything she wanted to do without much effort."

Zuko paused, took a deep breath, "It was all over when we were 18 and 16. We were woken up by uncle who told us that Ozai had died in a car crash. It is ironic that that drunk driving killed him too. That was the incident that shattered Azula."

Katara had scooted closer to Zuko as he narrated his story. She put her head on his shoulder that was equal parts for his and her comfort. Her tears had soaked through his shirt again as she cried for him.

* * *

Katara waited at the entrance to the cemetery that day. She had called Zuko earlier in the day and asked him to please meet her there. A confused sounding Zuko had agreed.

A car pulled up to the curb and as Zuko exited from the backseat, Katara was stuck again by how rich he was. He never flaunted his wealth and when she looked at him, Katara only saw Zuko. Not Zuko Sozin, CEO and owner of Sozin International. Katara's curiosity after last evening's revelations had led her to do a little more research into Zuko.

"Earth to Katara," Zuko snapped his fingers before her eyes.

She started when she realized that Zuko was looking at her curiously. "Ah! Sorry. I was woolgathering"

"No kidding. I called you five times before you answered. What were you thinking of?"

"That I'm so glad I met you!"

"Me too," Zuko replied softly. "So why are we meeting at the cemetery again?"

"I came to visit my mom's grave this morning and saw something that I think you should see." Katara said as she started to walk toward a section of the cemetery.

"Your mom's buried here too?" Zuko was curious.

"Just come with me."

Katara finally stopped in front of a gravestone, "That's my mom."

Zuko was a little stunned "She's buried next to my mom!" he whispered.

Katara nodded. "I saw her grave this morning and wanted to show you. I'd like to think they would have been friends."

"Maybe they are."

"I thought so too," Katara said with a smile. "I miss her. I lost her to an illness when I was about 8. I wonder sometimes if that's when I decided to become a doctor. Somehow, seeing her next to your mother eased something in me."

Zuko turned slightly towards her. "Thank you, Katara," he said in a voice that had gone rough.

She nodded again.

Zuko threaded his fingers through hers, startling Katara a little. It was the first time he had initiated any physical contact. She squeezed his hand lightly and the two stood there lost in their own thoughts.

* * *

Katara had taken special care of her appearance today. She had worn her new dress, applied a little bit of kohl and even slicked on some lipstick. The fact that the dress was red had to do with her resolution to add a different color to her wardrobe and not because it was Zuko's favorite color. The guy must own a hundred red shirts, but boy, did he look good in them.

 _Oh, who am I kidding?_ Katara thought.

She looked over the water while she waited for Zuko.

"You look really pretty in red."

Katara gasped as she turned to face Zuko, "Thank you."

A blush coated her cheeks as she took in his molten expression.

"I was hoping you'd like it," She said, surprised at her own boldness.

"Why?" His voice was gentle.

"You know why, don't you?" Katara was suddenly nervous.

"Yes. I do" Zuko smiled.

Katara let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

Zuko took her hand, "You do realize it's mutual, don't you?"

"I know, Zuko."


End file.
